Some Apple retail employees have been told to warn customers against visiting to purchase an iPhone Duo without a pre-order on Friday, October 23.


Apple Store employees told MacRumors that they have been advised that there will likely be no ‌iPhone Duo‌ stock available for walk-in purchases on launch day. Staff have been instructed to discourage customers without pre-orders from coming in expecting to buy the device, warning that they will be disappointed.

Apple's online store tells customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 for pickup availability. Pickup reservations were briefly available when pre-orders opened before the option was disabled.

The October 24 message does not guarantee stock will be available that day, and it remains unclear how firm the warning shared with employees is and whether it applies worldwide. If the guidance is firm and widely perpetuated, it closes off a potential route for customers hoping to bypass the device's lengthy online wait times, at least at the stores concerned.

Warnings about a constrained launch began well before Apple announced the ‌iPhone Duo‌. In early September, Nikkei Asia reported that production had reached only a few hundred devices per day in late August. Further production problems emerged in late September.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple had at one point believed production constraints could push the start of sales into November. The company subsequently assembled enough inventory to proceed with the October 23 launch, although supply remained very limited.

The extent of the shortage became apparent when pre-orders opened earlier this week. Delivery estimates moved beyond launch day within minutes, and within 30 minutes, all configurations in Apple's U.S. online store showed January 25 shipping estimates. The device is now effectively sold out for Christmas through Apple's online store.

Apple subsequently described demand as "nothing short of extraordinary" in a statement to the Financial Times, adding that it was working to get devices to customers as quickly as possible. Apple has not publicly specified whether any stores will have stock for launch-day walk-in purchases.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ starts at $1,999 in the United States, with the first pre-order deliveries scheduled for October 23.
This article, "Apple Retail Staff Told to Warn Against iPhone Duo Walk-In Purchases" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has hired former Meta lawyer Scott Tucker to lead its litigation team, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Tucker will become Apple's vice president of global litigation and financial services, a new position overseeing commercial lawsuits, patent disputes, and legal matters involving its financial products. He previously led litigation at ‌Meta‌ and held a senior legal role at Morgan Stanley.

The move brings Tucker back together with Jennifer Newstead, Apple's general counsel. Newstead joined Apple's leadership in March after six years as ‌Meta‌'s top lawyer.

Heather Grenier, who currently oversees Apple's commercial and competition litigation, will report to Tucker instead of Newstead. She will remain on Newstead's leadership team. Apple is also expanding legal executive Kyle Andeer's responsibilities to include international legal matters, child safety, cybersecurity, and law enforcement.

The changes are part of a wider overhaul under Newstead, who now oversees both legal and government affairs. Apple announced plans to combine the teams alongside the retirements of Kate Adams and Lisa Jackson.

According to Gurman, some Apple executives believe the company should have performed better in court, particularly in App Store disputes. Its battle with Epic Games has forced changes to the rules for links to outside payment options and the fees Apple can charge.

Apple also faces the U.S. government's antitrust lawsuit and privacy cases. Separately, it agreed to a $250 million settlement over delayed Siri features, with a final approval hearing scheduled for February 2027.
This article, "Apple Hires Former Meta Lawyer to Oversee Global Litigation" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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